Tweeters,
Warm days and cool nights at Roy, WA, with the birdlife settling back
after the full flush of nesting season. The first waterfowl I've seen in
a couple of weeks, a female Mallard, winged across the property heading
northeast on Friday. After not seeing or hearing Common Ravens for quite
some time, I spotted/heard one Sunday morning.

I thought we were going to get skunked on accipiters this weekend, but a
Sharp-shinned Hawk made it's appearance Sunday afternoon, just after a
Turkey Vulture was also in the neighborhood. Noticeably absent:
Steller's Jays. I think this is the first weekend I've not seen any.

The last two Tree Swallow nests should fledge this week. The swallow
count appears to be lower, with only a few V-G and Cliff's around. Barn
Swallows appear to be holding numbers, but they're out searching more
and not right around the house as much. No Purple Martins this weekend.

A Dark-eyed Junco, a Willow Flycatcher, and a White-crowned Sparrow
appear to be the most active of the vocalizers, and all seem to be
holding territory.

One of the local Red-tailed Hawk fledglings trying to land in a
Douglas-fir on the south side of the house was harassed repeatedly by a
couple of crow mobsters.

Bird of the weekend: Black-headed Grosbeaks were feeding young
fledglings.

Birds seen this weekend:

Mallard
California Quail
Great Blue Heron
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Rufous Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

43 spp this weekend; 79 spp YTD; 89 spp site-to-date

May all your birds be identified,

Denis DeSilvis
Seattle, WA
mailto:denis.j.desilvis at boeing.com